If you crave some of the best whiskey available today, you can’t go wrong with this Tennessee whiskey from the award-winning Uncle Nearest Distillery. Check out our Guava Berry Whiskey Smash made with Uncle Nearest 1884 Small Batch Whiskey. Cheers.
Guava Berry Whiskey Smash Using Uncle Nearest 1884
If you love a great story, take a seat because I got a double-feature for you! This story begins a long time ago in the waning days of slavery just before the civil war with a slave known as Uncle “Nearest” Nathan. But to make sure I get the story right, I’ll let Jeffrey Wright tell it from the farm where it all started way back when. Check out The Story of Nearest Green from Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey on Vimeo.
That’s quite a story, and Uncle Nearest whiskey is quite the whiskey. But the person responsible for bringing this story to the fore is the phenomenal African-American woman (author and real estate investor) by the name of Fawn Weaver. She is the owner, CEO, and founder of the Nearest Green Distillery located in Shelbyville, Tennessee.
The Story of Uncle Nearest Whiskey
This story gained traction in 2016 when Weaver read an article in the NY Times about the admission of one of the most prominent names in whiskey. The article publically revealed that it’s founder, Jack Daniels, had learned everything he knew about making whiskey from a slave by the name of Uncle Nearest. Shortly after reading the story, Mrs. Weaver headed to Tennessee to find out more, and what she learned was a truth that would rewrite the origins and broaden the history of whiskey making in Tennessee. For her, what ensued was a journey of discovery that kept her in Lynchburg, Tennessee, for about three years. She uncovered over ten-thousand documents solidifying Nearest Green’s position as the first African-American distiller for the world’s biggest and best-known whiskey brands, Jack Daniel’s.
Uncle Nearest Whiskey
Currently, there are three versions of Ernest Green Whiskeys: Ernest Green 1856 Premium Aged Whiskey, 1884 Small Batch, and the highly coveted and sought after 1820 Single Barrel Edition. Find out where you can purchase Nearest Green whiskey in your neck of the woods here.
A good cocktail is made with great whiskey. Our Berry Guava Whiskey Smash is one such cocktail, made with Uncle Nearest 1884 Small Batch Whiskey. And if you love fruit-forward cocktails, you may just cotton to this invigorating apéritif lickety-split.
What You Will Need To Make Our Guava Berry Whiskey Smash Using Uncle Nearest 1884:
Uncle Nearest 1884 Small Batch Whiskey. For our handcrafted cocktail creation, I used the 1884 small-batch whiskey, and it pairs exceptionally well with the rest of the ingredients. Nearest Green whiskey may be smooth, but rest assured it doesn’t get lost in the sauce.
Guava Nectar. There is nothing like the taste of guava nectar, and in our fruity summertime cocktail, it is perfection in a standard rocks glass.
Lemon Juice & Strawberry Simple Syrup. Fresh lemon juice gives this cocktail notes of citrus, and the homemade strawberry + blueberry simple syrup has summertime written all over it!
Vanilla Citrus Liqueur. If you haven’t had vanilla citrus liqueur before then, you are missing out, if you don’t have this particular ingredient on hand don’t sweat it, use a 1/8 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract and call it good.
Fresh Basil. Muddled basil leaves lend a herbaceousness to this cocktail that if both refreshing and unexpected. In the end, it helps balance this cocktail and ensures that all of its components come together for one outstanding cocktail.
Garnish. For this cocktail, I’ve kept the garnishes to a minimum, a fresh basil leaf, and a wheel of fresh lemon. Simplicity is so underrated.
Ice. I use ice cubes in the cocktail tin and pebble ice in the serving glass. It’s true, not all ice is greater equal.
Guava Berry Whiskey Smash with Uncle Nearest 1884
Ingredients:
- 2 ounces Uncle Nearest 1884 Small Batch {or whatever whiskey you have on hand}
- 2 1/2 ounces guava nectar
- 1-ounce fresh lemon juice
- 1-ounce strawberry blueberry simple syrup
- 1/2 ounce Tuaco vanilla citrus liqueur
- 3 large basil leaves muddled + 1 for garnish
- 1 lemon wheel
- ice
Directions:
- Into a cocktail tin, muddle three large sweet basil leaves, add Uncle Nearest 1884 Small Batch whiskey, guava nectar, lemon juice, strawberry blueberry simple syrup, vanilla citrus liqueur, and top with ice.
- Secure the lid, and shake vigorously for thirty seconds.
- Strain into a standard rocks glass filled with pebble ice.
- Garnish with a fresh basil leaf and a wheel of lemon.
- Serve.
Homemade Strawberry Blueberry Syrup Recipe
Ingredients:
- 1 cup of granulated or superfine sugar
- 1 cup of water
- 1/2 cup fresh strawberries cleaned with the stems removed and cut in quarters
- 1/2 cup fresh blueberries
- 2 tablespoons fresh-squeezed lemon juice
Directions:
- Place a medium saucepan over med-high heat, add a cup of granulated sugar, and a half-cup of sliced strawberries with the green stem removed and a half-cup of ripe blueberries.
- Bring the mixture to a boil and mash the berries using a table fork or a potato masher to release the juices, let the mixture boil for another minute.
- Remove the saucepan from heat and cover with a tight-fitting lid, let the mixture steep for 10-minutes.
- Strain the syrup into a Mason-style jar with screw on the lid. The strawberry blueberry syrup can be stored in the fridge for up to two weeks.
Now that you have the cocktail, all you have to do is grab a bottle of Uncle Nearest 1884 small batch Tennessee whiskey and whip up one of the best whiskey cocktails you’ll ever have. Promise. Cheers!
Ingredients
- 2 ounces Uncle Nearest 1884 Small Batch {or whatever whiskey you have on hand}
- 2 ounces guava nectar
- 1- ounce fresh lemon juice
- 1- ounce strawberry blueberry simple syrup
- 1/2 ounce Tuaco vanilla citrus liqueur
- 3 large basil leaves
- 1 lemon wheel
- ice
Instructions
- Into a cocktail tin, muddle three large sweet basil leaves, add Uncle Nearest 1884 Small Batch whiskey, guava nectar, lemon juice, strawberry blueberry simple syrup, vanilla citrus liqueur, and top with ice.
- Secure the lid, and shake vigorously for thirty seconds.
- Strain into a standard rocks glass filled with pebble ice.
- Garnish with a fresh basil leaf and a wheel of lemon.
- Serve.
Notes
HOW TO MAKE STRAWBERRY + BLUEBERRY SIMPLE SYRUP:
- 1 cup of granulated sugar
- 1 cup of water
- 1 cup fresh strawberries cleaned with the stems removed and cut in quarters
- 2 tablespoons fresh-squeezed lemon juice
- Place a medium saucepan over med-high heat, add a cup of granulated sugar, and a half-cup of sliced strawberries with the green stem removed and a half-cup of ripe blueberries.
- Bring the mixture to a boil and mash the berries using a table fork or a potato masher to release the juices, let the mixture boil for another minute.
- Remove the saucepan from heat and cover with a tight-fitting lid, let time mixture steep for 20-minutes.
- Strain the syrup into a Mason-style jar and screw on the lid. This can be stored in the fridge for up to two weeks.
Find more cocktails you should below:
Praline + Whiskey Pumpkin Pie Cocktail
Angie says
This was delicious. Just used regular simple syrup. The combination was so good.
T Worthey says
Thank you, Angie! It’s always so helpful to get feedback on our recipe ideas. This is one of my favorite summer, or anytime, cocktails! Cheers!